Spiritual Solutions and Inspiration for Everyday Living

The Important People In Your Life

Just for a few minutes think about the important people in your life. They may be the ones you spend the most time with, or not. They may be the people you see at work every day, but not necessarily. They may be the people in your social network. What makes them important is how much time, thought, or energy you put into a relationship with them.

Now think about how these people make you feel? Do you feel validated and valued when you are with them? Do they accept you as you are, even while encouraging you to be your very best? Do they listen to you and pay attention to your concerns? Do you feel safe, comfortable and relaxed when they are around? Do they try to be there for you? Can you trust them?

Of course, we can’t always control who is in our family, or who we have to associate with at work. There are a lot of times, however, when we do have a choice regarding the people we allow into our lives, and who we give our energy and time to. Even with family, we get to determine how much time we spend around the ones that may be draining us.

Sometimes relationships continue out of habit, even when they no longer make us happy. We owe it to ourselves to take an occasional inventory of the people in our lives. We owe it to ourselves to be courageous in ending things that aren’t working. We owe it to ourselves to keep looking for relationships that enrich us. What served us once may not serve us now, as sometimes people just grow apart. It’s important to remember, too, that if someone is not meeting your needs, you may not be meeting theirs either. That is not a question of fault or blame. Sometimes it just is, and both parties deserve more. Just something to think about today.